Sarifa is a working carer who looks after her husband, son, and her next-door neighbour. Both her husband and son suffer from cognitive disabilities in addition to complex health conditions. When Sarifa needed someone to talk to, she reached out to Carers First, who have helped to support her through the tough times. She began attending virtual workshops with fellow carers, along with receiving one-to-one advice.
She said: “Sometimes I felt low, so it was nice to talk to other carers in similar positions. I treat my time with Carers First as my respite – it’s an outlet for my emotions.”
Since Sarifa struggles with disabilities of her own, it was vital that the support she received could cater to her unique access needs. The virtual support options were particularly useful for helping Sarifa to thrive in her role.
An avid advocate for carers with disabilities, Sarifa went on to encourage her fellow disabled carers to reach out for support from Carers First.
She said: “Carers First caters to the unique access needs of a lot of disabled people. I have actually referred a lot of people to them.”
Sarifa feels that some people hold a negative attitude toward her as a disabled carer. Before reaching out to Carers First, she felt as though she wasn’t treated equally to other carers when accessing support.
She said: “As a disabled person, a lot of people are of the opinion that I can’t be a carer - but I have to be, or there is no one else to care for my husband and son. I have felt left out before and quite lonely at times.”
Sarifa now feels part of a community that welcomes her and is comforted by the fact that she’s never alone. She knows that somebody is on the other side of the phone to support her on the harder days.
She said: “It’s reassuring to know that you can reach out to someone who can help you.”
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